Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-07-16
A TALE OF 49,
BY FRANK }. MARTIN.

@The Yellow Girl, =" one Of the palatial
stages on the Southwestern Line, rolled
into One-Hoss Gap one fine afternoon IN
the month Of June, IN the year OF grac-
1853. Old Bill Keats held the ribbons IN
those days. Bill was Jolly fellow, with o.
heart like a lions, and double storage Gu
pacity for poor whisky. On this particular
day Bill had imbibed pretty freely, and was
not very sorry that he had but one pas
senger and that one booked for One Hoss
Gap. His passenger was a tall, Well-built
young man. about twenty-five, and good
locking.
Tom Pate, the proprietor of the Hotel
Europe. was standing in the doorway of
his hotel anxiously waiting for the Yellow
Girl to appear IN the bend Of the road
about a mile below. On the Veranda, near
by, sat a man clothed in a miners garb and
smoking contentedly, but keeping lookout
Tor the stage. When the stage drew mp at
the door this man disappeared behind the
hotel, while the landlord welcomed his new
guest and took care Of his luggage.
The young stranger registered as Walter
Paine, Of San Francisco, and asked to be
Bhown 10 his room at once When the
landlord left his room he drew from his
pocket a copy Of the New York Torch and
read the following.
@The body of the young lady that was
picked up in the East Riverlast Friday has
been identified as being that of Miss
Louise Ballard. The friends of the young
woman say that she was betrayed by a
young wealthy miner from California. and
that from the day he deserted her she
ity. 1t is more than probable that, driven
to madness by her shame, she sought re-
lief in the cool waters Of the East River. "
The young man paced the room as he
read and reread the article. Then he drew
from his pocket another packet containing
a Hhnrnrrr1rah HAffar Ia aFTr6FaI
photograph for some time and then read
the letter. 1t ran as follows:
est. LOUIS, May 30, 1888.
DEAR WALTER: Your ideais a good one.
Herewith find the photograph 1 promised
you. ] found it in LUIS trunk. Keep a
sharp lookout, and if you get clue fol-
low it 10 the end. / viii meet you at the
appointed place on time. ALBERT"
1t took several minutes for him to get
calm, so excited had he become. Just as
he mad returned the paper and envelope to
his pocket the landlord raped on the door
and inquired if his guest desired any sup
per. He claimed that he had been calling
to him from the foot of the stairs for sew
erai minutes and had obtained no reply.
The young stranger apOlOgiZed and as
sured him that he was pretty hungry,
whereupon they both repaired to the din
ing-rOOm.
Tom Pate, the proprietor of the Hotel
Europe, took an active part IN the manage
nent Of his establishment. So active was
it, indeed, that he filed the positions of day
and night clerk, porter and head waiter.
He would have been bell-bOy if there had
been a bell in One-Hoss Gap. 1t is unnec-
essary TO remark that the Hotel Europe"
was not oYercroWded with guests at any
time. The two now under its roof were
the first ones in three weeks. The man
who had been sitting on the Veranda was q
guest and had been there for several days.
His name, or at least the one he gave, was
Tom Whitley, and be was a miner return
ing to California after enjoying a big spree
IN New York.
When Tom Pate entered the dining
room he introduced the two strangers tC
each other and then began to serve up sup
per IN an elaborate styIe-that is, on the
dishes.
Walter Paine ate but little supper that
evening, for between studying the features
of Whitley and interesting himself in the
struggle for supremacy between the hiei
and the butter, he lost his appetite. The
former afforded him much food for menta
digestion, while the struggle between tbs
two most powerful enemies IN the Hote
Europe settled all his cravings for food
Supper over, the two guests repaired t
the office, and procuring cigars they feL
into a friendly chat. Tom Whittleby be.
gan TO narrate some Of the stormy stories
of his life. lie warmed up and said many
little things that were highly interesting +,
Walter. Walter said but little until he haS